By RGV Fútbol/Staff

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BROWNSVILLE, 14 Apr. - A header by defender and team co-captain Gilberto "Tito" Alanis gave Sharyland their first trip to the State Tournament with a 2-1 victory over Brownsville López Saturday in the Region IV-5A Final at the Brownsville Sports Park.

Alanis' header was scored with 10 minutes remaining in the game and two minutes after López had equalized the match at 1-1 on a Willy Aranda penalty kick. The Sharyland-López matchup was the second All-Valley Regional Final in a row. López and Brownsville Porter disputed the Final in 2011.

"I don’t know how I did it, it was a beautiful corner kick by Jesús Olivares," Alanis said. "It curved to me, I headed it and the goalkeeper didn’t get it."

Four months ago, Alanis was in the stands when his team defeated Laredo LBJ and won the Brownsville Tournament. On Saturday, the Rattlers’ defender was able to help out his team on the field, and be the difference in a game that made Rio Grande Valley and Sharyland history.

"It was hard to be on the bench watching my team in the Brownsville Tournament, but they still won and took first place," Alanis explained. "And now, to be able to be with them and help out it’s the greatest feeling. It’s all about the victory and making history. It’s the greatest feeling. Now we’re going to state and we’re going to do our best to represent the Valley."

Sharyland joins Mansfield (Region 1), Austin Westlake (Region 2), and Morton Ranch (Region 3) in the Final Four. The Class 5A State Tournament will kick off on April 19 at Birkelbach Athletic Complex in Georgetown. The boys 5A semifinals will be played at 4 and 6 p.m.

For several years, Sharyland has been a perennial soccer power in the Valley. However, they have also been known for not performing up to their potential in the playoffs and falling short of the State Tournament.

The Rattlers have advanced to the Regional phase of the playoffs 10 times in 14 years. Sharyland was ousted four times in the semifinals until this season. One of the teams that left the Rattlers out in the cold in the past is López, who knocked out the red-and-white in the quarterfinals on three occasions.

Last year, Sharyland was a three-time District 30-5A champion and expected to make the State Tournament. The Rattlers were eliminated by Brownsville Hanna in the area round of the playoffs.

This season, despite struggling through district play and finishing in second place, Sharyland performed above expectations in the postseason and settled their outstanding debts to their school, fans, and past rivals, by qualifying to the elusive State Tournament.

The Rattlers defeated Laredo LBJ 3-0 in bi-district and eliminated Edinburg Economedes 5-1 in area. Sharyland then beat out District 32-5A runner up Brownsville Porter 2-0 in the Regional quarterfinals. The Rattlers slipped past Northside Jay 3-2 in shootouts in the semifinals after playing to a 1-1 regulation time draw before defeating López in the final to advance to the State Tournament.

For López, their extended run this season was a surprise to most due to the amount of senior starters the team lost to graduation after last year’s Regional Final loss to Brownsville Porter.

"I’m really proud of the kids," said López head coach Amadeo Escandón. "Nobody thought we would make it this far. They had already written us off before the season started, but here we are in the Regional Final again. We have a young team that’s going to get better, so López soccer has a bright future ahead."

López finished third with a 9-5 recored in District 32-5A, arguably one of the toughest districts in Texas.

In playoffs, the Lobos came back to defeat PSJA North 3-1 in overtime in bi-district, and then eliminated District 30-5A champion Donna in shootouts 2-1 after coming back to draw 2-2 in regulation in the area round.

López then ousted 32-5A champion Brownsville Rivera 1-0 in the Regional quarterfinals before knocking out San Antonio Reagan 2-1 in OT in the semifinals.